Neuroendocrine background of the pathology of the islets of Langerhans. A minireview with particular reference to synaptophysin and chromogranin A as neuroendocrine markers and to the ontogeny of argyrophil insulin immunoreactive cells in the rabbit.

MedLine Citation:

PMID:
3117578
Owner:
NLM
Status:
MEDLINE

Abstract/OtherAbstract:

As in diseases of other (neuro)endocrine glands, the pathology of the islets of Langerhans comprises both states of hypofunction, notably hypoinsulinism,--diabetes mellitus--and those of hyperfunction, such as hyperinsulinism from either nesidiodysplasia ("nesidioblastosis") or genuine islet-cell neoplasms. The pathogenesis of some characteristic structural lesions of these diseases of the islet parenchymal cells is reviewed against their neuroendocrine background, both phylogenetically and ontogenetically. A preliminary report is given of the appearance of argyrophil insulin cells during the normal foetal development of the islet parenchyma of the rabbit. In addition, the distribution of the newly discovered neuroendocrine markers synaptophysin and chromogranin A has been reviewed immunohistochemically in normal and neoplastic islet parenchyma cells; the insulin cells do not seem to contain chromogranin A.